Warning: this is a perfect pop song. If you haven’t ever heard one, brace yourself. The simplicity of pop, yet the nuance of alternative music. Lyrics that long for something deeper, more meaningful in life, reflected in the writer’s interaction with art . . .
Words that form a sentence
Words that form a phrase
In a poem, or a letter
Could not convey the meaning
Of what this man has done
In a painting, on a canvas
Bear in mind these guys wrote most of their debut album when they were still in high school. And it’s still a desert island disc for me.
The Ocean Blue came to us from Hershey, PA, their debut self-titled album dropping in 1989. While the band was comprised of Christians, they never wore their faith on their collective sleeves, preferring to let the music speak for itself. This resulted in effectively dropping subtle hints here and there. Band members have stated in interviews that they never liked the commercialization of faith-based art. Yet their Christian worldview does sneak into their music on regular occasions, much like how J.R.R. Tolkien’s Catholic faith makes regular appearances in the Lord of the Rings, even though it’s essentially a pagan story.
The band is now in their fourth decade of existence, and while there have been a few member changes in that time, they are still going strong.